By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Africanews
Published on 2024-01-19 12:15:43
The De’ Medici Museum in Florence is currently showcasing ‘Vestis’, an exhibition by Cameroonian artist Afran as part of the biannual Pitti Immagine Uomo men’s fashion trade show. The exhibition features busts made from denim, a material that Afran sees as holding significant cultural and historical significance. According to the artist, denim is not just a material, but a philosophy and symbol of our times, carrying within it the struggles for civil rights and personal history.
The pieces on display at the exhibition are reminiscent of classical art, with busts of David, Dante, and a tribute to Canova’s Napoleon. Samuele Lastrucci, the Director of De’ Medici Museum, notes the strong connection between Afran’s work and encomiastic portraiture, as well as De’ Medici portraiture, highlighting the use of denim as a democratic fabric in contrast to the traditional aulic materials of marble or bronze.
The exhibit’s curator, Matteo Chincarini, is fascinated by the combination of art and fashion, ancient and contemporary, local and global within Afran’s work. He believes that giving contemporary art the opportunity to showcase how it can still uphold the aesthetic canons of the past is important, especially in such historical settings.
‘Vestis’ will be on display at the Museo de’ Medici (De’ Medici Museum) in Florence until February 15, 2024. The exhibition offers visitors the chance to explore the fusion of fashion and sculpture through Afran’s unique and thought-provoking pieces, further emphasizing the artist’s exploration of the intersection between art and fashion, as well as the melding of classical and modern influences.
